5,000 men expected to be processed at former RAF Scampton base in first 12 months of operations
The Home Office plans to use the former base to house migrants
Last updated 6th Jun 2023
During the first 12 months of its operations, the migrant camp at RAF Scampton near Lincoln is anticipated to process around 5,000 young men, largely from Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran.
Chief Executive Debbie Barnes announced the news during a Lincolnshire County Council meeting earlier today (June 6), later explaining that the “first cohort” is expected to arrive in the Autumn.
The site is expected to only host about 2,000 migrants at any given time as they await processing.
Despite Prime Minister Rishi Sunak clarifying a number of details during a press conference yesterday, Leader Martin Hill (Conservative) said that the County Council are desperate for more information.
He added: “We’re a little bit in the dark to be honest, and it is very frustrating for residents because they want to know what’s happening, we’d like to tell them — but we don’t know either.”
“We know Scampton is likely to be used, but we really need more information from the government so we can make sure that we can plan properly and we can help them make it as good a process as possible.”
Those being housed at the former home of the Dambusters were initially thought to be coming from hotels along the coast, but it has since been confirmed that they are being relocated from the migrant detention centre in Manston, Kent.
West Lindsey District Council has sought legal against the Home Office, as the plans have disrupted a £300 million heritage, tourism and enterprise project that would have generated thousands of highly-skilled jobs.
The local authority failed to secure an urgent injunction from the High Court in May, but they are now pursuing a full judicial review.
The hearing, which will ultimately determine whether the plans go ahead, is set to take place on July 12 and 13.